Money In Jamaican Lottery Scam Allegedly Passed Through Pittsburgh

Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro announces Wednesday, April 5, 2017, that his investigators had helped to break up an international scam that was bilking seniors by telling them they had won the Jamaican Lottery.

Mark Nootbaar
/ 90.5 WESA

A 72-year-old Pittsburgh woman has been arrested for her role in an international lottery scam.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro said Audrey Huff was responsible for collecting at least $295,000 from other seniors across the country and sending it to Jamaica through at least 300 wire transfers.

Huff was arraigned Wednesday on several charges including theft by deception and criminal conspiracy.

Shapiro said it is unclear how, or if, Huff was benefiting by serving as a mule, but that she knew she was breaking the law.

“Ms. Huff was repeatedly, repeatedly warned, by federal, state and local law enforcement not to engage,” he said. “Yet she continued, resulting in her arrest.”

Shapiro said victims of the Jamaican Lottery Scam were told they had won the lottery and must send “taxes” to collect their winnings.

At times, Huff went by aliases, including Army Core and Jennifer Lenox. The investigation continues with local and federal law enforcement in an effort to get to the ringleaders.

“Perhaps this began with Ms. Huff thinking that she was a victim, but it became very, very clear, particularly after the repeated warnings that she knew exactly what she was doing -- that she was defrauding seniors,” Shapiro said.

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